With a Japanese input device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-78045 (hereinafter “Patent Document 1”), each time the user presses one of a plurality of consonant keys provided in a control section, a character is displayed as a candidate (or “undetermined”) character on the screen of a display device in a cyclic order from among a group of characters assigned to the consonant key. When an intended character is being displayed, the user can press a preliminary determination key or a different consonant key to thereby turn the candidate character into a “determined” character. As used herein, an “undetermined character” is a character displayed as a candidate, which is to be selected or not selected by the user as an intended input character, whereas a “determined character” is a character that has been selected, or finalized, by the user as being an intended input character. By assigning a group of characters to one key, it is possible to reduce the total number of keys needed, thereby simplifying and downsizing the input device.
However, with the Japanese input device of Patent Document 1, the user needs to press the preliminary determination key when inputting two characters in a row that are assigned to the same consonant key. This requires the user to move the finger between the consonant key and the preliminary determination key, thus slowing down the character input speed and increasing the possibility of erroneous inputs. As the distance between the consonant key and the preliminary determination key is greater, the character input speed becomes slower and erroneous inputs become more likely.
The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 may be applicable to a character input method using a pointing device. In a character input method using a pointing device, the user inputs a character by pointing at a key image displayed on the screen with the pointing device. Unlike when inputting characters using a keyboard, the user cannot know the positions of the keys based on the tactile sensation, but the user needs to point at a key image with the pointing device based solely on the visual sensation. Thus, as compared with a case where the user inputs characters by using a keyboard, the character input speed is likely to be slower and erroneous inputs are more likely. Therefore, the problems related to the character input speed and erroneous inputs are more pronounced than in a case where a keyboard is used.
Therefore, certain non-limiting illustrative embodiments provide a character input program and a character input device, with which it is possible to suppress the lowering of the character input speed and the possibility of erroneous inputs while reducing the total number of keys required for inputting characters.
Non-limiting illustrative embodiments may have the following features. Note that reference numerals and figure numbers are shown in parentheses below for assisting the reader in finding corresponding components in the drawings to facilitate the understanding of the non-limiting illustrative embodiments. It is understood that these parenthetic expressions are not limiting in any way.
A first aspect of the non-limiting illustrative embodiments is directed to a computer-readable storage medium, storing a character input program for inputting characters by using a pointing device (7) having at least one button (32i). The character input program instructs a computer (10) to function as character input key image display control means, pointed position detection means, button operation detection means, undetermined character display control means, and determined character display control means. The character input key image display control means is means for displaying, on a screen of a display device (2), a character input key image associated with a group of characters. The pointed position detection means is means for detecting, based on a signal from the pointing device, a position on the screen being pointed at by the pointing device (S10). The button operation detection means is means for detecting whether or not the button is operated (S22). The undetermined character display control means is means for displaying one character on the screen as an undetermined character in a cyclic order from among the group of characters associated with the character input key image each time the operation of the button is detected by the button operation detection means while the pointed position detection means is detecting that the character input key image is being pointed at by the pointing device (S28, S30). The determined character display control means is means for displaying the undetermined character as a determined character on the screen when the position pointed at by the pointing device as detected by the pointed position detection means moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character displayed on the screen (S44).
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the character input key image display control means displays a plurality of character input key images on the screen.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the undetermined character display control means displays the undetermined character at a position following a determined character string being displayed on the screen by the determined character display control means (FIG. 10E, FIG. 18C). Since an undetermined character is displayed at a position following the determined character string, the user can easily know what the determined character string will be after the undetermined character is turned into a determined character, whereby the possibility of erroneous inputs can be reduced.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the undetermined character display control means displays the undetermined character on the character input key image being pointed at by the pointing device (FIG. 16A). Thus, the undetermined character is displayed near the pointed position, whereby the user no longer needs to move the eyes substantially away from the pointed position in order to check the undetermined character, thus improving the controllability.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the group of characters associated with the character input key image are displayed on the character input key image, and the undetermined character display control means highlights, as the undetermined character, one of the group of characters on the character input key image being pointed at by the pointing device (FIG. 20A). Thus, the undetermined character is displayed near the pointed position, whereby the user no longer needs to move the eyes substantially away from the pointed position in order to check the undetermined character, thus improving the controllability. An undetermined character can be highlighted by, for example, changing at least one of the size, color, shape and position of the character.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the undetermined character display control means displays the undetermined character near the position pointed at by the pointing device so that the undetermined character moves together with the pointed position. Thus, the undetermined character is displayed near the pointed position, whereby the user no longer needs to move the eyes substantially away from the pointed position in order to check the undetermined character, thus improving the controllability.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the character input program instructs the computer to further function as undetermined character sound notification means for notifying a user of an undetermined character being displayed on the screen via a sound. Thus, the user can audibly check the undetermined character, whereby the user no longer needs to move the eyes substantially away from the pointed position in order to check the undetermined character, thus improving the controllability.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the character input program instructs the computer to further function as determination notification means for notifying a user that the undetermined character displayed on the screen by the undetermined character display control means has turned into a determined character after the position pointed at by the pointing device moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character being displayed on the screen. Then, a new user can intuitively learn the character input method of the present invention, where an undetermined character is turned into a determined character when the pointed position moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the determination notification means includes animation means for, when the position pointed at by the pointing device moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character being displayed on the screen, providing an animation of the undetermined character moving to a position following a determined character string being displayed on the screen by the determined character display control means. Then, it is possible to guide the user's eyes to the end of the determined character string, thereby intuitively notifying the user that the character, which was displayed as an undetermined character, has now been added to the determined character string. Moreover, since the user can confirm, by means of an animation, that the undetermined character has turned into a determined character, the user no longer needs to actually look at the determined character string, thus improving the controllability.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, the determination notification means includes sound effect output means for, when the position pointed at by the pointing device moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character being displayed on the screen, playing a predetermined sound effect. Then, since the user can confirm, by means of a sound effect, that the undetermined character has turned into a determined character, the user no longer needs to actually look at the determined character string, thus improving the controllability.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, each character input key image is assigned a group of kana characters from one column in a Japanese syllabary.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, each character input key image is assigned a group of English alphabet characters.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, each character input key image is assigned a group of words.
In one non-limiting illustrative embodiment, each character input key image is assigned a group of symbols.
A second aspect of the non-limiting illustrative embodiments is directed to a computer-readable storage medium, storing a character input program for a computer (10) of an information processing device having a function of calculating a position on a screen of a display device (2) being pointed at by a pointing device (7), the pointing device including an image sensing device (35) for capturing an image of at least two markers (8a, 8b) provided around the screen of the display device and a control button (32i), and the calculation being carried out based on information representing a positional relationship of the markers with respect to the captured image (A1) received from the pointing device, wherein the character input program instructs the computer to function as character input key image display means, button operation detection means, undetermined character display control means, and determined character display control means. The character input key image display means is means for displaying, on the screen of the display device, a character input key image associated with a group of characters. The button operation detection means is means for detecting whether or not the button is operated (S22). The undetermined character display control means is means for displaying one character on the screen as an undetermined character in a cyclic order from among the group of characters associated with the character input key image, which is being overlapped by the pointed position, each time the operation of the button is detected by the button operation detection means while the pointed position is overlapping the character input key image (S28, S30). The determined character display control means is means for displaying the undetermined character as a determined character on the screen when the pointed position moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character (S44).
A third aspect of the non-limiting illustrative embodiments is directed to a character input device, including: at least two markers (8a, 8b) provided around a screen of a display device (2); a pointing device (7) including an image sensing device (35) for capturing an image of the markers and a control button (32i); calculation means (10) for calculating a pointed position on the screen based on a positional relationship of the markers with respect to the captured image (A1) obtained from the image sensing device; character input key image display control means (10) for displaying, on the display device, a character input key image associated with a group of characters; button operation detection means (10, S22) for detecting whether or not the button is operated; undetermined character display control means (10, S28, S30) for displaying one character on the screen as an undetermined character in a cyclic order from among the group of characters associated with the character input key image, which is being overlapped by the pointed position, each time the operation of the button is detected by the button operation detection means while the pointed position is overlapping the character input key image; and determined character display control means (10, S44) for displaying the undetermined character as a determined character on the screen when the pointed position moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character.
A non-limiting illustrative embodiment may be applied when two or more characters assigned to the same character input key image are inputted in a row because an undetermined character can be easily and quickly turned into a determined character simply by moving the position pointed at by the pointing device out of the character input key image. Thus, it is possible to suppress the lowering of the character input speed and the possibility of erroneous inputs.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the A non-limiting illustrative embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the non-limiting illustrative embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.